Garden Huckleberry Pie

The garden huckleberry (Solanum melanocerasum) is not a true relative of the wild huckleberry or blueberry, but is instead a member of the same plant family as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. Like other nightshade relatives, the garden huckleberry's foliage should never be eaten. The fully ripe berries, however, are not only edible, but also incredibly delectable. And they're easy to harvest -- no thorns to battle as in picking wild berries. Serve this luscious pie with whipped cream or ice cream. Posted in response to a recipe request.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 4  cups  garden huckleberry
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2  pie crusts (either storebought or your own recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Stem, wash and drain huckleberries.
3. Place berries in a heavy pot, cover with cold water and bring to a slow boil.
4. Cook until soft.
5. Drain; mash berries with a potato masher to break their skins.
6. Add sugar, nutmeg, salt, butter, lemon juice and cornstarch.
7. Cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
8. Place pastry for bottom crust in pie pan.
9. Pour in the berry mixture and dot with butter.
10. Cover with top crust, crimping crust edges to seal and piercing top crust all over with a fork to allow steam to escape.
11. Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is a light brown.
12. Cool.